Optical projection apparatus



Dec. 18, 195] MlLEs 2,579,177

OPTICAL PROJECTION APPARATUS Filed NOV. 15, 1945 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 IN VENTOR Dec. 1.8, 195] MlLEs 2,579,177

OPTICAL PROJECTION APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 1945 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ATTORNE Patented Dec. 18, 1951 "JUNITEDTiISTATES PATENT OFFICE Y 7 1 7 2,579,177 7 v 1 .orr cA rRo Ec'rIoN A PARATUS 7 George Herbert Miles, Hillside, New Barnet,

"1.4- England f a pli ation November 15, 1945,SerialNo. 628,831 In Great" Britain, August 23, 1943 "In-the specification of myPatent No. 2,046,202: there is described a method of' simulatingor cr'eatin'gf the impression of movement or travel through space over ground oramong objects by a person who, though reallystationary at a point of observation, is enabled-by operative, meansto control the movement or course he is apparently taking.

..As.heretofore performed, .the model scene or landscape has .been moved in relation to a point of light adapted to illuminate objects of the scene andthrowa shadowgra'ph image of the scene, or parts thereof, onto a screen. This method has imposedan undesirable limitation upon the effect that isvisually obtain-ablaeven though the base of the model and, the source of the objects on it have been of transparent character through which'rays have been free to pass to'the screen. This applies, for example, with respect to roads andpaths.

The present invention constitutes a modifiw cation of or. an addition to apparatus of the kind described in my aforesaid patent which is designe'dto secure a more accurate presentation of landscapes or objects upon a topographical layout, giving contour, solidity, color and intimate details, instead of a mere silhouette, or shadowgraph of these objects.

- To this'end the invention consists in illuminating a 'model scene as a whole, so' that rays from the model are or. will be received by the finder or so-called entrance pupil of an optical system situated at a height from the ground or base of the model scene which; relatively thereto, is equivalent to the height of theeyes of a person who would be viewing a natural corresponding landscape, the said rays from themodel being transferred by means of the said optical system to the observers eye through lenses or upon a suitable screen, and any movement between the so-called entrance pupil and the model scene relatively, one to the other, producing the illusion that theobserveris moving over the groundalong.

or amongst the objects of the'scene.

In theaccompanying drawings, Figures 1 to 5 a means eflectuating an' articulation 'between' image pick-up and image transmission tubes.

InFiguresL and 2 for example, rays from the e -2 Claims.

through a finder (entrance pupil) or what may better be called a pick-up, situated at or near the surface of the .model scene as previously stated, which pick-up may consist of or include a mirror, lenses or equivalent means. This pickup'transmits rays from the objects picked up or seen to and through the optical system which in turn forms or reproduces an imageof the object at any desired'point or position convenient to the observer. In the examples here shown, 4 represents the pick-up in the form of a mirror and 5 represents lenses transmitting the rays therefrom to a reflecting mirror 6.

The image or view produced by these rays is transmitted to the observer by direct vision through lenses, or from a screen or alternatively by suitable mirrors, to which the scene is transmitted, placed in front of the observer. In Fig. 1 the rays transmitted to the mirror 6 are reflected therefrom or thereby to a lens I, which in turn transmits them to an eye piece 8, which may be a binoculan In Fig. 2 the rays from the lens 1 pass through a single eye piece lens 9 so that both eyes can see through it. It is not necessary for-the objects of the scene to be placed on a transparent ground or plate. A solid view'is obtained, the realism of which is limited only by the accuracy and detail of the objects included in the model scene presented. As the pick-up simulates or creates the impression on persons eyes, the resultant image, which may be given unit or any desired magnification or direction by the optical transmission system adopted, gives the illusion of presence among and/ or movement over ground towards or about and around the objects, as relative movement between the pick-up and the landscape occurs. These movements can be controlled by the observer in ways such as described in U. S.-Letters Patent 2,046,202, or as shown in Fig. -6 hereof with various variations; or it can be done by incorporating the pick up mirror 4 and lenses 5 in a tube articulated to a tube containing the lenses 1 and 8, the mirror being located at the point of intersection of the axes of the two tubes and connected by linkage in known manner to both tubes,

the other. .Fig. 7 serves as an illustration of such an". articulationarrangement.

'Solid objects being viewed directly change in light, -shade, and'form. This,"together-with the effects of parallax and changing visual angles as objects approach or recede, give, as already stated, stereoscopic efiects, which may be further enhanced by using dual and closely proximated pick-up points to simulate the pupils of the eyes and viewing the landscape through these by a separate optical system for each eye, as in binocular microscopes, or similar 1 optical device;

Alternatively and more simply, by the expedient of using larger aperture lenses followed by a large single eyepiece, such as that indicated at 9 in Figs. 3 and 4 having lenses otsay 8-inch diameter or more, so that both eyes can see through it, a binocular and stereoscopic view can be obtained if a glasswedge 10 of the correct angle, silvered at the back and half silveredin.

front, is placed at some point in the path from the pickup to the eyes. The wedge I0 acts to reflect rays for the right eye from one surface while rays from the other surface reflects to the left eye.- each: eye. This method has the advantage of giving-more freedomof .headmovement towthe observer than donormal small eyepiecest Figs. 3 and a are-pl'an views', unlike the:elevational views of. Figs: 1' and- 2-; and Fig; 3 differsfroin Fi 4' only in" that a mirror I l receives the transmitted rays" before" the wedge I i) "is-reached, thereby altering the position at'whic'hthe lens Q'is located. 1

Alternatively,. again if the landscape is very brilliantly illuminated and therays" from? the pick-up are passed through large aperture wideangle' lenses to suitable projection lenses; an-

imagecan be thrown on a screen; and" the "view point can, by the aid of the pick-up, bebrought to any desired point of the landscape (or; conversely; any desired part of the landscape can be'brought into the view of the" pick-up). In

doing as just'sta'ted the person viewing the image" on the screen obtains. the illusion of movement say along a road, through"a forest, or'ini a flight over the landscape. Other methods'of'enhanci'ng the stereoscopic efiect similarly'to thosealr'eady' referred to may be employed; Againithe requiredmovements. can be controlledby 't-he ob server as described my 'U. S; Letters- Patent 2,046,202 or as illustrated-for example i'n-Fig'. 6' hereof.

The angle at which the pick-up i's'place'dmodi lies the direction of the observers View; By turning the mirror or pick-upto' the right or left, or inter-posing suitably adjusted prisms for instance. the observer can look up; down, to the right, to the left; behind or in the same direction in which he is' apparently travelling;

As a further alternative, and as shownin Fig. 5, a large concave mirror IZm'ay be used, instead of a screen, to receive and enlarge'theimage which is picked up. In this" way, less'li'ght is re-* quired to illuminate the objects and the:stere'o scopio efiect may be increased by application'- of any of. the me'thodsalre'ady outlined Aeneaemplified; the rays from'the lensi 1: are? directed. onto the mirror I 2. by two mirror surfaces l3; one of them being silvered' and the other half silvered, these expressions and: their. meaning be in well known inthe art. Fig. 6' illustrates diagrammatically an apparatus'arrangement for effecting and controlling relative m'ovementbe tween the pick-up and'the model scene I from: the station of the observer. Inthisinstanee thepick-up moves only in a vertical plane while the model scene-moves in ahorizontal: plane and also: rotates; however, by ,a simple-,variatiomor? Separate images": are thus -receivedby modification of mechanism the pick-up can be caused to move in both vertical and horizontal planes and also to rotate or turn in any direction, while the model scene is made or kept stationary. No particular mechanism for attainment of such movements or relative movements is here claimed because of the innumerable ways i'nlwhich it-can bedone, but all movements would be made to be contorlled by levers or turn dials at the observers station. The principal purpose is to enable the observer to direct his simulated travel inthe direction or directions desired over the landscape of the model scene.

In Fig.6, the model scene is mounted for rotation on spindle in bearings 2| on horizontally. movable articulated frame 22, spindle 20 being. rotatable by disk 23. The pickup mirror 4 is moved in a vertical direction only by means ofa'cord of the like 24 which is pulled by movement of a lever 25 at one end, the other end of cord 24? beingfixedly' connected to the housing ZS-which supports mirror 4.

InFig. 6 also: anarticulation.arrangement be tween the'image pick-up and transmission tothe? observer. is shownas described hereinabove- Fig '7, however, illustrates a little more clearly" how the "pick-up and' transmission elements may be placed in an articulated tube arrangement and" 3| is a rod 36 sliding through tube 3'! connected" by links 38, 39 to tube 3!! and to the image transmitting tube 40, to maintain the rod 36 normal to the mirror 6, so. that-rays from mirror 4. will. be tube 40.

Having. thus. described the elementaryor basic featuresofLimprovementof this invention, what'l;

claim as new is:

1. An optical projection apparatus forgiving the impression of personal movement'within an environment to an observenactually stationary relative thereto; comprising, in combination, a smallscalemodelscene-producedin topographical area layout form with-various true-to-life object representations. incorporated therein; meansthrowing light uponsaid: model scene; an image pick-up light-deflecting means arranged in operative relation to the model scene at a scale height respective thereto corresponding normal 1y to the height oftheeyes-of a person viewing the actual or: natural scene represented by the model atth'e point of saidimage pickmplighting adapted to be moved'relatively 170117116 model: scene Withirrrthe areav of suchmodel. sceneya fixedi viewing station for the observer. outside the model scene area for viewing the'scene'znormally" at "the" height of the observer means for opera? tively moving? the image pick-up." light-deflecting."

meansrelatively to the. model. scene within the area thereof withsrespe'ctto the various scenic. object representations: incorporated. therein; and? an optical system including reflector means correlatedcooperatively with the: imagev pick=up I light-deflecting means: and? the viewing station reflected along the axis of transmitting.

adapted to transmit to the eyes of the observer at said viewing station the image picked up by said image pick-up light-deflecting means as the latter is moved as desired within the model scene area, so as to give the observer a continuous and changeable view of the model scene at and from any point or position throughout its extent such as he would obtain :by or in actual travel movement infany direction within the area represented by the model.

2. AnQ Optical projection apparatus for iving the impression of personal movement within an environment to an observer actually stationary relative thereto, comprising, in combination, a small, scale model scene produced in topograph ical area layout form with various true-to-life object representations such as trees, roads, buildings and the like incorporated therein; means for illuminating said model scene; a light-deflecting image pick-up means arranged in operative relation to the model scene at a scale height respective thereto corresponding normally to the height of the eyes of a person were he viewing at the point of the light-deflecting image pick-up means the actual or natural scene represented by the' model, said light-deflecting image pick-up means being adapted to be moved relatively to the model scene in any direction within the area of such model scene; a fixed viewing station for the observer outside the model scene area for viewing the scene normally at the height of the eyes of the observer; means controllable at and from the fixed viewing station for operatively moving the light-deflecting image pick-up means relatively to the model scene within the area thereof toward, away from, along or around the various scenic object representations incorporated therein, this last-named means being operable and controllable by manipulation of the observer at said viewing station at his will; and an optical system including reflector means correlated oooperatively with the light-deflecting image pickup means and the viewing station adapted to transmit to the eyes of the observer at said view- GEORGE HERBERT MILES,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 148,825 Howard Mar. 24, 1874 1,190,619 Armbruster July 11, 1916 1,481,006 Hammond Jan. 15, 1924 1,528,506 Opaci Mar. 3, 1925 1,871,807 Schwabe Aug. 16, 1932 1,919,561 Kogel July 25, 1933 2,046,202 Miles June 30, 1936 2,084,795 Donle June 22, 1937 2,106,752 Land Feb. 1, 1938 2,321,894 Bischoii" June 15, 1943 2,324,632 Maurer July 20, 1943 2,381,757 Jones Aug. 7, 1945 2,392,781 Simjian Jan. 8,, 1946 2,413,633 Jones Dec. 31, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 101,604 Austria of 1925 461,153 Germany of 1928 498,081 Germany of 1930 

